Primary election: More than sex claims and slurs

COLUMBIA - Despite recent controversies, there is more to South Carolina politics than sex and sound bites.

In fact, in Tuesday's primary election, voters will make several decisions on candidates for state and federal offices that have nothing to do with the ethnic slur and allegations of marital infidelities dogging Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley.

Aside from the gubernatorial contests, both the Republican and Democratic parties' ballots will also offer candidates for state superintendent of education, U.S. Senate and select state House seats.

Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton, and other candidates running unopposed to get on the Nov. 2 general election ballot will not appear on their respective party's primary ballots. No Democrat filed for Bluffton's House seat.

There is also no primary competition for Beaufort County offices up for election in November.

In S.C. House District 123, which covers Hilton Head Island, Republican voters will decide whether to send Rep. Richard Chalk back to Columbia for a fourth term or whether to give the job to one of two challengers, Kate Keep and Andy Patrick. There is no Democratic Party candidate.

Other contested Beaufort County state House races are in District 121, where Rep. Kenneth Hodges, D-Green Pond, faces challenger Bobby Mayes, and District 122, where Rep. Curtis Brantley, R-Ridgeland, is being challenged by former Rep. R. Thayer Rivers Jr.

None of the state's 46 senators are up for election this year because Senate elections fall in presidential election years.

Republicans also will pick a nominee for the 2nd Congressional District seat, which is now held by Rep. Joe Wilson. He faces Phil Black in the Republican primary. Rob Miller, the lone Democrat, will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Here is a list of the candidates people from Beaufort County will see in Tuesday's primary election, depending on whether they have a Republican or Democratic ballot and the district they live in.If only one person is running for a particular office of a given party, that candidate will not appear on the primary ballot. State Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton, and Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, for instance, will not appear on the ballot on Tuesday.As available, the candidates' campaign websites are listed here by their names as reference points on their backgrounds and stands.

Position: State senator for Charleston County; developerAge: 61Personal: Single Education: Attended Grambling State University in Louisiana and Wayne State in Michigan. Home: Charleston

JIM REX

Position: State Superintendent of Education Age: 67 Personal: Wife Sue; children Adam, Nathan, Jeff, and Siri. Education: Doctorate from the University of Toledo in 1973. Home: Winnsboro

VINCENT SHEHEEN

Position: State senator for Chesterfield, Kershaw and Lancaster counties; attorney at Savage, Royall and Sheheen Age: 39Personal: Wife Amy, three children, Austin, Joseph, and Anthony Education: Bachelors from Clemson University in 1993. J.D. from the USC School of Law in 1996. Home: Camden

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